Controlling valve and system embodying the same



Mar 5, 1 F. w. ROBERTSHAW ET AL 1, 8

CONTROLLING VALVE AND SYSTEM EMBODYING THE SAME Filed March 24, 1926 4Sheets-Sheet 1 I II INVENTORS March 1 2 F. w. ROBERTSHAW ET ALCONTROLLING VALVE AND SYSTEM EMBODYING THE SAME Filed March 24, 1926 4Sheets-Sheet %NVENTZR$ March 1929- F. w. ROBERTSHAW El AL 1,704,487

CONTROLLING VALVE AND SYSTEM EMBODYING THE SAME Filed March 24, 1926 4sheets-sheet 5 in! i, m

March 1929. F. w. ROBERTSHAW ET AL 1,704,487

CONTROLLING VALVE AND SYSTEM EMBODYING THE SAME Filed March 24, 1926 4Sheets-Sheet 4 lyza Patented Mar. 5, 1929 UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. ROBERTSHAW, OF PITTSBURGH, AND GEORGE A. ROBERTSHAW, OF

GREENIBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO ROBERTSHAW THERMOSTA'I. COM-IPANY, OF YOUNGWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROLLING VALVE AND SYSTEM EMBOIJYIN G THE SAME.

Application filed March 24, 1926. Serial No. 96,977.

The present invention relatesibroadly to the art of burner systems andcontrol valves therefor, and more particularl to an improvedthermostatic control va ve and oven system in which the same isembodied.

At the present time it is customary in the .general art to which thepresent invention relates to utilize thermostatic control valves ondomestic ovens. In some cases, the entire structure is positioned withinthe oven so that it is necessary to open the door to control the same,while in other-cases, the thermostatic element is projected into theoven through one of the walls thereof with the valve casing and thepiping exteriorly positioned with respect to the oven. While both of theabove types of installations possess features of merit, it has beenfound to be highly desirable to provide a form of control which .may beapplied to any oven after all of the piping is in position, and in whichall of the parts, with the exception of the control casing, areconcealed by the oven. In accordance with the present invention such animproved type of control and installation is made possible.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a more attractiveoven structure by reason of the concealed gas pipes, and to provide aninstallation in which the thermostatic valve may be quickly applied,removed or replaced as may be desired.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a controlinstallation of such character that linings within the oven can beeasily replaced without the necessity of a special lining structure asrequired in casings where difficulty is encountered in the removal ofthe thermostat.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown, for purposes ofillustration only, certain preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, it bein understood that the drawings do not define the limitsof our invention, as changes in the construction and operation disclosedtherein may be made without departing either from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of our broader claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view, largely diagrammatic, of arange embodying the im proved control;

Figure 2 is a partial front elevation, largely diagrammatic, of therange shown in Figure 1, certain of the parts being broken away for thepurpose of illustrating a portion of the interior construction; I

Figure 3 is an end view in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4: is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the improvedcontrol shown in Figures 1 and 3;

Figure 4 is a plan view showing a form of cover plate adaptable for usewith the construction of Figure 4.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing a slightly modified'formof control with union connections;

Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the Valve casing;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line VIIVII of Figure 6looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view on the line VIIIVIII of Figure 7looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a front elevation of a special double L fitting; I

Figure 10 is a bottom end view of the fitting of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view through a form of nipplesuitable for use with the control structure of Figures 4 and 6 to 10,both inclusive;

Figure 12 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form ofconnection; and

Figure 13 is a detail sectional view illustrating in detail theadvantages of the use of a compression nipple as shown, for example, inFigure 11.

In carrying out the present invention, which is adaptable to ranges andovens of any desired construction, there'may be taken any suitable rangecomprising the usual burner manifold 2 for supplying the hot top portion3 of the range, and having an oven structure 4 at one end. The oven maycomprise the usual upper portion having a door 5 to the oven proper andlower portion having a door 6 to the broiling compartment. Within thebroiling compartment may be located any desired form of burner 7, as iscustomary in the art, the present invention having to do particularlywith an improved arrangement for supplying gas to such burner.

During the construction of the range by the manufacturer, there may besuitably positioned therein the burner 7 in the broiling of the rangeshown compartment, and also a thermostat element 8 in the ovencompartment. This thermostatic element, together with the valve casingused in connection therewith and to be later described, may be of anydesired construction, but are conveniently of the general structuredisclosed in our Patent No. 1,455,663 of May 15, 1923. The heatresponsive portion of the thermostat may be suitably secured in the ovenin any desired position as by a supporting bracket 9, one end of theelement being so mounted as to project outwardly through one wall of theoven 1n position to cooperate with the valve casin 10. Positioned withinthe oven between the inner wall 11 thereof and the outer wall 12 throughwhich the thermostat projects, is a fitting 13,"he'rein illustrated ascomprising a casting, shown more in detail in Figures 4, 9 and 10, andconstituting in effect a double L. The fitting 13 has a. threaded inletconnection 14 and a threaded outlet'connection 15. Threaded into theinlet 14 is one end of a pipe 16 extending upwardly between the walls 11and 12 of the oven so as to be concealedfrom view, the lower end of thispipe having suitable connection with the manifold 2, preferably througha shut oif valve 17 The threaded outlet connection 15 has screwed thereinto a second pipe 18, preferably located similarly to the pipe 16 andhavingeconnection at its, lower end to the Bunsen tu 19 which suppliesthe burner 7. After all of the desired connections are made, the fitting13 may be rigidly held in place by roviding a cover plate 12 and passinga suitable bolt 20 (Figure 2) through the cover plate and outer wal 12of the oven and into the threaded lug 21 provided on the fitting 13.This forms a rigid mounting in which substantially all of the parts areconcealed, and in which the concealed parts are in position to have thevalve casing applied thereto. The cover plate is illustrated in detailin Fi ure 4*, and is adapted to be placed outside oi. the enameled sidewall of the oven to give a finished appearance and also to permitthepipes 16 and 18 and the double L casting to be secured in place beforeapplication of the thermostat.

By reference more particularly to Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings, itwill be noted that the threaded inlet 14 communicates with an opening 22having a tapered inner end adapte to cooperate with the correspondinglyshaped end of a nipple 23, as shown in Figure 11. This nipple may be ofsuitable material adapted under compression to form a tight joint withthe fitting. The threaded connection 15 communicates with a similaropening 24 adapted to cooperate with a nipple of the same character.After the range has been completely constructed as before described,and' either before or after it leaves the manufacturer, nipples 23 maybe placed in each of the openings 22 and 24, and these nipples at theirouter ends slipped into similar openings 25 and 25'. respectively in anextension 26 carried by the casing 10, the openings 25 and 25' havingtheir axes substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the casingand substantially normal to the faces of the casing. These openings haveinclined seats 27 adapted to cooperate with the tapered ends of thenipples 23 whereby when the casin 10 and the fitting 13 are drawn towardeac other, tight joints for'the flow of gas will be established. Thisdrawing toether of the parts may1 be accomplished by a rawbolt 28passing t rough an opening 29 in the extension 26 and engaging thethreaded opening 30 in the fitting 13. It will be apparent that thisconstruction permits the thermostatic casing to be quickly applied andremoved without the necessity of removing any portion of the permanentpiping system of the oven, and at the same time it enables the,

use of a piping system which is, to a large extent, concealed within theoven walls.

The valve casing 10 has a threaded projection 31 on the rear facethereof adapted to cooperate with the revolving couple or adaptor 32carrying a control handle 33 as shown,.

for example, in our patent referred to. Within the casing is a suitableseat 34 for a valve 35, the casing being provided with any desired typeof bypass, not shown, and bypass controlling means 36.

An usual form of pilot may be provided, the pilot preferably beingsupplied with fuel through a connection 37 (Figure 1) with the outlet ofthe valve 17.

With the foregoing construction, it will be apparent that the operationof the thermostat. will be effective for controlling the supply of fuelfrom the manifold 2 to the burner 7, the pilot supply being of suchnature to insure a constant flame for lighting the burner at such timesas gas is again supplied by the thermostat after a period during whichit has been cut oil.

In some cases it may be desired to eliminate the special fitting 13 andutilize separate Us 13' as shown, for example, in Figure 5. Such Ls maybe used with any form of union embodying suitable nipples 38 and aconnection 39. With such a construction, the tightening of theconnections 39 will draw the extension 26 on the valve casing 10 towardthe Us until the unions are tight.

In Figure 12 there is illustrated in perspective still another form ofthe invention adapted to be used either in lieu of the com pressionnipples or the unions. This may comprise a right and left nipple havingan intermediate shoulder 40 of suitable angular configuration to permittightening of the nipples. Where such nipples are used, the left handthreads will be adapted to cooperate with the valve body and the righthand By merely tightenin the nipples, the valve body and the Us wil bedrawn together.

In Figure 13 of the drawings there is illustrated in detail, and more orlessdiagrammatically, a form of connection embodying the compressionnlpple of Figure 11, this figure illustrating the adaptabllity' of theconnection in question to different systems whether embodying athermostat or not, and whether handling gases or liquids.

In this figure there is indicated a fitting 42 and a fittlng 43 which itis desired to connect. Each of these fittings is illustrated as having aplurality of threaded openings 44 adapted to receive pipes or the like,each of the threaded openings communicating with a seat 45 tapered tocooperate with the correspondingly tapered end of a compression nipple46. As before pointed out, these nipples may be of any desired material,such for example, as copper, whereby they are adapted to partially formtheir own seat and prevent leakage when sufficient pressure is appliedthereto. This pressure may be applied in any desired manner as forexample by a bolt 47 extending through the connections 42 and 43 wherebythey may be readily drawn together. In this manner a tight connectionmay be quickly established without the necessity of relative rotationbetween the parts. This enables one part of a. system to be completelyinstalled and another part of the system to be subsequently addedthereto.

Vith all of the forms herein illustrated, there are combined theadvantages of concealed pipes, adding to the beauty of the range,possibility 0 quick removal of the thermostat valve in case replacementthereof is necessary, and quick application of the thermostat at thepoint desired, the thermostat being the last part which it is necessaryto apply. The construction also lends itself to ready removal of thethermostat to permit replacement of linings within the oven, therebyobviating the necessity of providing other means for the removal of thelinings as has heretofore been required where the removal of thethermostat is accompanied by difiiculties.

We are aware of the fact that it has heretofore been proposed to providea construction having concealed pipes, but we are not aware of the useof concealed pipes with an exposed thermostatic valve casing, althoughpipes hidden in rear of the range have been used. This combination hasbeen found extremely desirable, as the location of the valve casinginsures quick reduction in gas-temperature, both by heat conduction andradiation. The gas passing through the pipes 16 and 18 is obviouslyheated, but it has been demonstrated that, irrespective of thetemperature at which the oven is operating, the temperature within thevalve head does not exceed 310 F. This is below the oint at whichorganic sulphides in the gas reak up into inorganic sulphides, within asafe margin, it having been shown that the gases can be safely handledin this manner at temperatures below 350 F.

The structure herein disclosed, in so far as it pertains moreparticularly to fittings adaptable to other uses, is made the subjectmatter of and claimed in our copending appgi2c1tion Serial No. 322,926,filed Nov. 30, 1

A further advantage of the present invention arises from the fact thatthe user of the range is enabled to use the cooking top burners forboiling and frying, even in the event it is necessary to remove thethermostatic valve or in the event of failure of this valve to operate.If desired, in such cases,.

the thermostat may be bodily removed and a return bend'fitting slippedinto place either on the threaded or the compression nipples. In suchcase, the temperature within the oven would be manually controlled bythe valve 17.

Still another advantage arises from the use of the special double Lfitting inasmuch as such a fitting is very shallow, permitting its usewith ovens having a relatively narrow flue space therein. Also due tothe fact that this fitting can'be rigidly secured in place, it will beap arent that connection in many cases would e more easily madetherewith than is possible with the separate elbows as shown in Figure5.

We claim:

1. In a fuel control system, an oven having fuel pipes concealedtherein, heat responsive means within the oven, and a control casing forsaid heat responsive means exteriorly of the oven.

2. In a fuel control system, an oven-having fuel pipes concealedtherein, heat responsive means within the oven, and a control casing forsaid heat responsive means exteriorly of the oven, said casing beingbodily removable with said pipes in position.

3. In-a fuel control system, an oven, fuel pipes concealed by said oven,a common fitting for said pipes, means for attaching said fitting to theoven, heat responsive means within the oven, and a control casin bodilyremovable from said fitting with said pipes in position. v

4. In a fuel control system, an oven having therein heat responsivemeans and fuel pipes, and means exteriorlv of the oven and carriedthereby for cooperation with said pipes and said heat responsive means.

5. In an oven, an inner wall, an outer wall, fuel pipes between saidwalls, fitting means for said pipes, and a thermostatic valve casingexteriorly of said oven and communicating with said fitting means.

6. In an oven, an inner wall, an outer wall,

fuel pi es between said walls, fitting means for sai ipes, and athermostatic valve casing exteriorly of said oven and communicating withsaid fitting means, said valve casing being bodily removable from saidfitting means with said pipes in position.

'7. In a fuel control system, an oven having therein heat responsivemeans and fuel pipes, and means extcriorly of the oven for cooperationwith said pipes and said heat responsive means.

8. In a fuel control system, an oven having fuel pipes concealedtherein, heat responsive means extending through one of the oven wallsand having an exterior control casing, and a cover plate cooperatingwith said pipes.

9. In combination with a chamber to be heated, the chamber havinga wall,a burner, a thermostat lying in the chamber and extending through anopening in said wall, a.

valve operated by the thermostat and lying in a casing disposed outsidethe chamber, the casing having a wall facing thev chamber wall andhaving fuel inlet and outlet openings therein, fuel pipes leading to andfrom the valve structure, the fuel pipes lying within the chamber andhaving portions terminating in substantial alignment with the fuel inletand outlet openings in the valve casing wall, and means for drawing theinlet and outlet pipes and the valve casing toward one another, wherebyfuel connections between the fuel inlet and outlet pipes and the valvecasing are established.

10. In combination with a chamber to be heated, the chamber having awall, a burner, a thermostat lyingin the chamber and extending throughan opening in said wall, a valve operated by the thermostat and lying ina casing disposed outside the chamber, the casing having a wall facingthe chamber wall and having fuel inlet and outlet openings therein, fuelpipes leading to and from the valve structure, the, fuel pipes lyingwithin the chamber and having portions terminatin in substantialalignment with the fuel inlet and outlet openings in the valve casingwall, nipples lying between the ends of said pipes and the fuel inletand outlet openings, and means for drawing the valve caslng toward thechamber so as to form compression joints through the nipples.

11. In combination with a chamber to be heated, the chamber having awall, a burner, a thermostat lying in the chamber and extending throughan opening in said wall, a valve operated by the thermostat and lying ina caslng disposed outside the chamber, the casing having a wall facingthe chamber wall meager;

and having fuel inlet and outlet openings therein, fuel pipes leading toand from the valve structure, the fuel pipes lying within the chamberand terminating in a sun le fitting arranged inside the chamber wal andin substantial alignment with the-fuel inlet and outlet openings in thevalve casing wall nipples lying between the single fitting and the inletand outlet 0 enings in the valve casing, and means for rawing the valvecasand having fuel inlet and outlet openings therein, fuel pipes leadingto and from the valve structure, the fuel pipes lying Within the chamberand terminating in a single fitting arranged inside the chamber wall andin substantial alignment with the fuel inlet andoutlet openings in theValve casing wall, nipples lying between thesingle fitting and the inletand outlet openings in the valve casing, and means threaded into saidsingle fitting for drawing the valve casing toward the I chamberv so asto form compression joints.

through the nipples.

13. In combination with a chamber to be heated, the chamber having awall, a burner,

a thermostat lying in the chamber and extending through an opening insaid wall, a valve operated by the thermostat and lying in a casingdisposed outside the chamber, the casing having a wall facing thechamber wall and having fuel inlet and outlet openings therein, fuelpipes leading to and from the valve structure, the fuel pipes lyingwithin the chamber and terminating in a single fitting arranged insidethe chamber wall and in substantial alignment with the fuel inlet andoutlet openings in the valve casing wall, a cover plate on the outsideof the chamber wall and having openings corresponding with openings inthe chamber wall, means connecting the cover plate and the singlefitting, nipples lying between the single fitting and the inlet andoutlet openings. and means for drawing the valve casing toward thechamber so as to form compression joints through the nipples. y

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

FREDERICK W. ROBERTSHAW. GEORGE A. ROBERTSHAW.

